Deploying Technology For Waste Management in Edo State: Governor Obaseki’s Design

by John Ewah

Considering that the earth has borne the burden of humanity for so long, it is about time humanity bore the earth’s weight and rescue her from unmitigated environmental disasters unleashed on her frequently through indiscriminate waste disposal which constitutes environmental hazards and survival threat to not just inhabitants but also to the earth itself. In this guise, the use of technology in managing waste disposal comes in handy as the earth remains ours to plough and never to plunder. As humans continue to generate waste, the environment is threatened. If waste recycling and innovative waste management measures are not considered, the earth and its inhabitants are bound to face impending doom.

This and many more constituted the reason behind Governor Obaseki’s determination to commence the Operation Clean and Green Edo Initiative which would be geared towards making Edo the cleanest and greenest city in sub-saharan Africa. The issue of indiscriminate waste disposal is set to be phased out in Edo State, as the Governor in his usual thoughtful manner is devising a carefully thought-out plan as part of his grand design, in driving a sustainable waste disposal and management plan.

A recent summit on waste management titled ‘Repositioning Waste Management for Sustainable Environment Development’ was held at the New Festival Hall, Government House, where the Governor laid out his vision on how he intends to transform waste management in the State, leveraging technology and data. The Governor emphasised the need for stakeholders to deploy data and technology in tackling the issues and problems surrounding waste management in the State. He also implored them to develop ideas that would help salvage the current challenges facing the waste management sector.

Paying attention to latest advances and newest tech innovations are sure ways the Governor have suggested in providing solutions to waste management challenges even as the Governor has given stakeholders a time-frame to birth additional people-friendly and practical solutions to combat the challenges of waste management in the State.

In Governor Obaseki’s view, the issue of waste management cannot be a sole responsibility of Government but every resident of the State, who are the major generators of wastes. The Government is however ready to give directions that would make waste generation, disposal and management easy, healthy and environment-friendly.

One major innovation in the waste management industry today is the ability to turn waste into energy. Waste recycling is another development in the waste management industry which developed nations of the world are leveraging to manage waste, thereby turning waste to wealth.

Waste management companies can also leverage technology in optimising routes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Route efficiency guaranteed by tech innovations makes it easier to plan waste routes and make the collection of waste easy. Technologies today can help sort through recyclable wastes and make waste recycling easier.  

These are a few of such tech innovations in addition to prompt evacuation and disposal of wastes, which the Governor is determined to institute among other practical and public-centred recommendations, to drive the waste management sector in the State in his master plan. The summit also saw keynote speakers and contributors who gave compelling views and recommendations in tackling waste management challenges in the State.